


Coded

by afteriwake



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Drabble Sequence, Eventual Irene Adler/Anthea, F/F, Flowers, Language of Flowers, POV Anthea, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-16
Updated: 2016-02-16
Packaged: 2018-05-21 00:58:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6032371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/pseuds/afteriwake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Irene and Anthea send coded messages to each other in the flowers they send, and as time goes on the flowers show their relationship developing from a dalliance to something more meaningful.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Coded

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Sumi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sumi/gifts).



> So this is a _very_ old prompt fill of **Sumi** 's at the Summer 2015 round of Holmestice for an Irene/Anthea fic with the prompt " _Anthea and Irene don’t need words to communicate. They do so in other ways_ " that I thought would best be filled for Femslash February. I've been fascinated by the language of the flowers and I wanted to incorporate that into this, so hopefully it's an enjoyable story for everyone. All of the descriptions for the different meanings of the flowers were found [here](http://www.languageofflowers.com/).

  
**Arrangement #1**  
Pink Roses, Coral Roses, Lavender Roses, Maidenhair Fern Leaves  
_admiration, appreciation, enchantment, discretion_   


She didn’t know what had possessed her to book an appointment. She knew who Irene Adler was, what she was about, the services she offered…the trouble she was causing Mycroft. Yet she had intrigued her. So she had booked a session. Anthea had her tastes, her desires that she kept close to the vest. A night with a dominatrix was something that had appealed greatly to her.

But it hadn’t been at all what she had expected.

They had talked. She had expected, with everything she had heard about her, that she would pump her for information about her position, about the secrets that Mycroft held. But Irene instead asked about her. She lounged in her expensive lingerie and dressing gown and poured her tea and held a civilized conversation. They went well over the hour she had booked.

The next morning, delivered to her desk, was an arrangement of flowers. They were a lovely collection of roses, with fern leaves interspersed throughout. There was no note with them, though she had a good idea who sent them. When she returned home, there was a package waiting for her, a book of the language of flowers. She thumbed through it, looking at the different meanings of the contents of her vase. Admiration, appreciation, enchantment, discretion…the note enclosed with the book had included a phone number and she smiled.

Somehow, she had the feeling her relationship with Irene Adler would be much more than that of client and provider of services.

  
**Arrangement #2**  
Yellow Roses, Sunflowers, Lilies, Dog Roses  
_affection, appreciation, beauty/elegance, pleasure & pain_   


She never made an appointment to see Irene. She would simply send a text to the number Irene had left her, and if Irene was available, she would get a bouquet sent to wherever she would be for the day: yellow roses, sunflowers, lilies and, if Irene was in the mood to let things be pleasurable for the both of them, dog roses.

Andrea knew what the dog roses meant: pleasure and pain. That meant that she would be at the mercy of Irene, at least for a time, before the woman would release her bonds and then they would pleasure each other. Then Irene was gentle, loving, caring…all the things that Andrea had never thought she would be. Those were the moments she found herself craving the most.

If she didn’t know better, she thought she might be having feelings for Irene.

She supposed the other flowers said maybe Irene had a fondness for her; after all, yellow roses meant affection and sunflowers meant appreciation. But where they deeper than that? She wondered. So one night, after receiving the bouquet, she sent flowers back. Just yellow roses and sunflowers, for a start.

When she arrived, there were candles lit. There was soft music. There was the smell of a delicious smelling supper. And when Irene came out to her, she came up and kissed Andrea softly, holding her close as she melted against her.

Yes, she did indeed have feelings for her as well.

This would be quite interesting.

  
**Arrangement #3**  
Red Peonies, Snowdrops, Indian Jasmine, Alstroemeria  
_devotion, hope, i attach myself to you, loyalty_   


The bouquets changed after that night. They each had meaning, and the meanings were all lovely, and they made Andrea smile. She was sure Mycroft wondered about the never-ending parade of florist’s deliveries that came to the office but she didn’t care. She enjoyed the concrete sign that Irene cared for her.

One day, months into their relationship, she was surprised to see Irene in her office. Shocked would almost be a better word. She was carrying in the arrangement herself, an arrangement that consisted of red peonies, snowdrops, Indian jasmine and alstroemeria. She said these were for her, and she just wanted to have a quick word with Mycroft Holmes. He was making snide comments about their relationship and she wanted to set him straight. And with that she set the arrangement on her desk, gave Andrea a soft kiss, and then marched her way into his office.

She studied the flowers and smiled. The peonies meant devotion, the snowdrops meant hope, the jasmine meant “i attach myself to you” and the alstroemeria meant loyalty. She was quite sure when Mycroft studied the bouquet after speaking with Irene he would be damn sure to understand the significance of the bouquet and the seriousness of their relationship.

And it helped to know the seriousness of it herself, now. She leaned over and sniffed the jasmine as she studied the day’s schedule. She had the feeling her girlfriend’s visit would put him in a mood. Ah well. She’d make it work.

  
**Arrangement #4**  
Purple Lilacs, Honey Flowers, Peach Blossoms  
_first emotions of love, love sweet and secret, i am your captive_   


She had gotten so used to receiving flowers at her office that it was a shock when, one day, she didn’t get any. She was confused by that and, she had to admit, quite disappointed. She had gathered up her things slowly, not sure whether she should go to Irene’s that evening. Perhaps something had come up. Perhaps she had been preoccupied.

Perhaps…perhaps her feelings had changed.

She didn’t want to think of that.

She went to the car that was assigned to her and had it take her to her flat instead of Irene’s home. She kept looking at her mobile, wondering if she should send a text, ask Irene the question. Do you still care? Do you still want me? Do you still need me? Are we still together? But then she would change her mind. That was not the way they were. They talked through flowers, through blossoms and blooms, not words.

With a heavy heart she let herself into her home, and then stopped. Irene was waiting in her sitting room, an arrangement of purple lilacs, honey flowers and peach blossoms in her hand. She handed it to Andrea, waiting for a response. Andrea knew what they meant; it Irene’s declaration of love, her way of saying what was in her heart, all of it, the whole depth and breadth of emotion.

And she returned it all, in equal measure, as she set the arrangement aside and kissed her with all the love in her heart.

  
**Arrangement #5**  
Primroses, Forget-Me-Nots, Ivy  
_i can't live without you, true love, marriage_   


She looked at the bouquet of primrose, Forget-Me-Not and ivy in her hands. She hadn’t expected this, to be honest. The tabloids were having a field day: variations of the headline “The Woman Marries Secret Lover” were splashed all over every tabloid all over the whole of London, but she didn’t care. Nothing could have spoiled her day. Nothing whatsoever.

She set her bouquet down and then looked at her wife. Wife. As of today, she and Irene were joined legally and nothing could tear them asunder, and she was grateful for that. Irene Marie Adler was all hers, and she couldn’t be happier for that.

“I should take you out of that dress,” Irene said before Andrea felt arms embrace her and Irene press her chest against her back.

“Mmm, you should,” Andrea said. “Just remember we have two weeks to spend together away from everyone else. There’s no rush tonight. And we still have a plane to catch.”

“And guests outside,” Irene said, pressing a kiss to her neck. “You’ve ensnared me, Andrea. Tamed me, gotten me to settle down.”

“And you swept me off my feet,” she said, turning in her arms. “I do love you, Irene.”

“I love you too, Andrea,” Irene said, a wide smile on her face before she leaned in to kiss her. Andrea kissed her back, savouring the kiss and knowing she would get many, many more for a long, long time. 

If she was quite lucky, the rest of her life.


End file.
